


Where Did All the Angels Go?

by AwakeAndAliveSpartan



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: And Grant is the royal protector, Demon! AU, F/M, Fantasy! AU, Skye is the princess
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-08-16
Packaged: 2019-11-16 10:23:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18092522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwakeAndAliveSpartan/pseuds/AwakeAndAliveSpartan
Summary: Grant is the royal protector assigned to the princess of the royal Shield Kingdom, Skye. As they fight to keep their love a secret, Grant must fight to keep the curse that runs in his blood a secret as well. A curse that would very well tear apart the Kingdom if it ever saw the light of day.What is Grant to do when he has to hide the truth from the princess and the entire Shield Kingdom?





	1. I Pray For Mercy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The beginning.

(Some Many Years Ago)

A young Grant Ward sat against a tree, his eyes closed as he listened to the area around him. He reached down to make sure that his sword and crossbow were still there; he needed to be prepared with his target came into view.

A smile pulled at his lips as the faint clop of horse hooves echoed into his ears. Judging by the sound, the horse was about fifty meters away. _“Raol the Fierce. No family name.”_ Grant thought, readying his crossbow. _“Bounty’s about 6,000 coins. That’ll get me by for the next two months or so. I could aim straight for the head, but where’s the fun in that?”_ He smiled to himself, revealing razor-sharp canines. _“I like to have fun.”_

He now heard the horse’s hooves from a few feet away. Aiming quickly, he fired a bolt towards the man on horse’s back. His smile grew as he heard a grunt of pain and a large thud on the gravel-laden ground. Grant quickly stashed his crossbow and unsheathed his sword, jumping from out of the treeline.

The man groaned at clutched as his bloody shoulder, the horse running away in fear. He looked up to see a young kid, no older than 16 looming over him with a sharp-toothed grin. He man’s eyes widened as he took in the sight of the boy’s elvish ears and long, jet-black, fur-covered tail, knowing just what he was dealing with.

“Y-You’re one of those Devilborn things.” the man stammered. “You-”

Something flared in Grant’s eyes and he took his sword and stabbed it straight through the man’s good shoulder, pinning him to the ground. “Don’t call me that.” he hissed. “I’m just Grant. Not Devilborn. Not anything else.”

“Then… Then what do you want from me?” he man asked, gritting his teeth through the pain.

Grant smiled and pulled out a torn wanted poster from his jacket. He opened it up and turned it around, “Raol the Fierce. A bandit guilty of many counts of murder and theft. Bounty is 6,000 coins. Will get me through the next two months.” he stated. He looked down and frowned at the bloodied, frightened man, “But, you don’t look so fierce to me.”

“And why’s a kid a mercenary, then?”

“Gotta find some way to make a living.”

The man swallowed, knowing that there was no way out of it. His weapons had been with his horse, which had probably run off due to the dark aura that was seeping from the kid. Hell, he didn’t have much of an affinity for magic, but even he could feel the kid’s power. But, the kid was Devilborn after all.

Devilborns were a rare race of demi-humans. The bastard offspring of a human and a demon, usually a human woman and a demon father. They surpassed the strength of humans tenfold and often had inmeasurable powers and an immense affinity for magic, usually that of demonic black magic. Their powers depended on the type demon that had concived them. The more powerful the demon parent, the more powerful the Devilborn was.

Devilborns were feared by all in the Shield Kingdom and were often responsible for bloody murders and untold horrors. There had even been legislation passed by King Philip and his counsel to make it legal for the Royal Guard and any mercenary to hunt them. They were that dangerous.

“But.. But you’re making a living by killing others for coin.”

Grant’s smile returned, “I’m killing scum like you for coin. Bad guys. I don’t kill anyone innocent. That’s how I work.” he stated. “Everyone thinks that Devilborns are ruthless, unseeing killers. But, I don’t want to touch an innocent person. I’d rather take someone like you out.”

“You-”

The man’s words were stopped as Grant pulled his sword out of the man’s shoulder and shoved it straight into his heart. The man gurgled and spat as his heart was cleaved into two. Grant sighed and pulled his sword out, sheathing it despite the blood still clinging to the metal. He pulled out a small, metal orb out of his pocket and held it over the man. Red, magic-filled vines curled out of the orb and surrounded the man, engulfing him and pulling him into the orb. The capture orb had been something created by blacksmiths and wizards a few years back to capture criminals.

Grant shoved the orb back into his pants pocket and turned around, _“Better head straight to the bounty center.”_ he thought. _“Turn this guy in and get my coin. And I better remember to glamor myself so they don’t notice that I’m not human. The smallest glamor can fool the best wizard._

_Humans can be so easily fooled.”_

 

(Some Years Later)

Grant Ward stood at the top of the staircase, leading away from the thrones, watching as the princess spat and cursed under her breath, trying to hike up her gown as she came up the stairs. A smirk pulled at his lips, “Now, don’t let your mother hear your mouth, Skye.” he stated. “She wouldn’t like that.”

Skye stopped and shot him a glare, “Zip it, _Ward._ ” she hissed. “I just want out of this damned dress and into some pants and a tunic for one. And just because you’re the royal protector and are supposed to be with me at all times doesn’t mean you can act like that.”

“Just making a joke.”

“Well,” Skye stopped next to him once she got up the stairway. “You aren’t very good at making jokes. At all.”

Grant touched his heart in mock hurt, “You pain me, Skye. You really do.” he stated. “I just want to make you smile.”

“It’s not the royal protector’s job to make me smile.”

“Well,” Grant leaned in close to her ear. “But this royal protector is also screwing the princess behind the king and queen’s backs.”

Skye blushed and ducked her head as she walked down the long hallway, “Shh!” she fussed. “No one can know that yet! Imagine what the Kingdom would think.”

“Well, considering I am only 2 years older than you and am constantly by your side, I don’t think it would be much of a surprise.” Grant stated as they headed into a vast bedroom, growing quiet as Skye shooed off two female servants and as she fussed at them, claiming that she could take her own clothes off.

Grant rolled his eyes as the servants left the room, closing the heavy wooden door behind them, “You really don’t like the prospect of servants, do you?”

Skye spun around and gave him a stern look, “I like to think that I can do the most basic things for myself. I am one of the _Gifted_ after all.” she stated. “Now, untie the back of the dress for me.”

With a shake of his head, Grant walked over towards her after placing his sheathed hellsteel sword on her massive bed, starting to untie the delicate strings on the back of her gown. “You’d rather just have my hands on you, wouldn’t you?” he asked, a smug grin plastering itself onto his face. “Instead of servants whose job is to wait on you hand and foot.”

Heavy blush returned on Skye’s cheeks, “Well, that’s another story.” she mumbled as the dress slipped down and pooled around her ankles. She tried to ignore Grant’s gaze. “But, I like to do things for myself. I know I should take advantage considering how I grew up, but I guess that I’m set in my ways. Once you learn how to do things yourself, it’s kind of hard to let others do it for you. I know that it’s been over a decade since the King and Queen took me in, but still.”

Grant took a sharp breath, watching Skye’s bare body as she strode across her room over to her wardrobe to find some better clothes, “If that’s how you like it…” He shook his head. “It’s been two years and I’m still surprised that you took so easily to the idea of your parents hiring your own personal guard.”

Skye spun around and stuck out her tongue at him, holding a tunic to her bare chest, “I only went along with it because you were cute.”

Grant raised an eyebrow, taking off his black cloak that had the emblem of the Shield Kingdom upon the shoulders. An eagle with its wings spread wide. “Was cute? That’s past tense.”

“Well, now you’re hot. Plus I’ve seen more of you than my parents would ever like to know.” Skye retorted, slipping her tunic on and grabbing a pair of pale trousers. She smiled as a heavy blush covered Grant’s freckle-dusted cheeks.

“You-” Grant was cut off as a bone-rattling horn sounded from the top of the castle. His expression quickly darkened as he shrugged his cloak back on and the horn sounded again. “Shit. A demon must’ve broken through the city’s barrier. Or a Devilborn appeared.”

Skye swallowed, “The Devilborn have been appearing a lot more lately.” she stated as Grant quickly went to her side. “Do you think that something’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Grant mumbled under his breath, grabbing his sword and swinging it over his back. “But, we need to get to the safe room just in case. Two blows of the horn means that whatever is attacking is close.” He took her arm and began to quickly lead her out of the room.

 _“This mana…”_ Grant thought. _“It’s definitely a Devilborn. And it’s right outside, too. Must’ve been one of the guards perhaps. But, I can’t risk fighting it. Devilborns can sense each other out. I can’t fool my own kind. I can fool another demon, but a Devilborn is different.”_

“Do you think it’s after me? I heard that some Devilborns like to eat the hearts of the Gifted because of our power.”

“Now, that’s just a myth. A demon or a Devilborn usually just wants to kill whatever’s in front of them. Most of the time. Gifted, magic-oriented, or human.”

Skye bit her lip, “I wish that the exorcists and the wizards could figure out a way to close the Rift and put an end to this Devilborn problem.” she stated. “They’re nothing but monsters. All of them.”

Grant’s heart sank as he led Skye down the twisting stairwell towards the safe room, _“Yeah…. All of them..”_ he thought. _“I’ve fooled you all long enough. I’ve kept my true self hidden behind glamor and spells. But, what will happen if you find out the truth?_

_What would you think of me then?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so with this there's a LOT of worldbuilding and background that I will introduce within the story since it'll be such a massive AU in the terms of lore. I'll try my best to make things clear, though. And I'll really start explaining things in chapter 2 and beyond. I hope that you enjoy! Please leave a comment or a kudos!


	2. With a Thorn in His Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grant realizes that he may be in trouble.

(The Next Morning)

The attack had proven to be nothing more than a false alarm. Grant had learned this after taking Skye all the way down to the magicked safe room in the basement of the palace. Apparently, one of the younger members of the Royal Guard had seen an animal in the woods, mistaking it for a monster. Needless to say he had been reprimanded by Guard Captain Triplett. 

The faint rays of sunlight started to filter in from behind the curtains, catching Skye’s eye and pulling her out of the dredges of sleep. She shifted, feeling a familiar weight at her waist. She smiled and looked down to see Grant’s calloused hand. Grant’s fingers twitched and he let out a sigh; he usually woke up before her or just right after her. 

“Mornin’” he mumbled, moving up to press a sleepy kiss to the skin of Skye’s neck. 

Skye blushed and her smile only grew, “We probably should get up, Grant, before a servant finds us in here.” she stated. “Hell, I’m surprised that no one’s done so yet.”

“Well, don’t jinx us.” Grant yawned and sat up, smiling down at her. “I have to go get my sword from Fitz anyways before he tries to do something else to it. Hell, it just needed shining.”

Skye raised an eyebrow as she sat up, watching as Grant slid out of the bed. She tried to stifle a smile at the sight of his bare frame. “If it just needed shining, then why couldn’t you do it yourself?”

Grant reached for his pants and tunic, “It’s a  _ hellsteel  _ sword, Skye. One of the rarest metals you can find. You can only find it in the deepest parts of hell.” he explained. “So, extra caution has to be taken with it and Fitz is one of the only blacksmiths in the kingdom that has experience with hellsteel.”

“I still don’t see why you have a sword like that.”

“It’s durable and won’t break.” Grant answered. “And kills demons with ease.”

Skye wrinkled her nose, “Why don’t you use a pistol or something?” she asked, that way you don’t have to get close to anything.”

Grant frowned, “Pistols are too loud and smelly for my liking. My sword is silent and deadly.” he stated. He frowned as he saw that Skye was beginning to smirk, “What?”

“Are we sure that we’re talking about a weapon here or not?” she questioned, her smirk growing. 

Blush quickly rose to his freckled cheeks, “Skye….” He sighed and shook his head, “By the gods, how did the princess end up with such a dirty mouth?”

“Just because I happen to be the princess doesn’t mean I have to talk all proper like or whatnot.” she said sternly. “I don’t like that stereotype. And besides, why are you chastising me for my ‘dirty mouth’ when you know very well to what we do in the bed?”

Grant’s blush grew even more as he slid on his Royal Protector cloak, “Just don’t let your parents know about that.” he stated, turning back to face her. “We don’t need that, do we?”

Skye almost snorted, slipping out the bed as well, “Oh gods, don’t make me think of what would happen if they found out about this.” she said, heading over towards her clothes. “Dad would probably have the Royal Guard drag you out and have you castrated.”

Grant’s eyes widened and his hand flew to his crotch, “You really think so?”

“Hell if I know.” she stated, slipping on her pants and tunic. “But, there’s still no telling to what he’ll do. He’ll definitely do something, uh, completely unwarranted. But, Dad’s not about torture, though. So, I don’t think he would go  _ that  _ far. Well, I don’t think he would.”

“That’s reassuring.” Grant mumbled, walking up to her once she was fully dressed. “Very reassuring.”

“We just have to make sure that no one catches us until we can find a proper time to tell them about, uh, us.”

“And when might that be?”

Skye frowned, “I don’t know.”

“Exactly, I don’t think that your parents will take too kindly to the Royal Protector sleeping with the princess.”

“And isn’t the ‘Royal Protector’ supposed to be close to the princess? I swear that dad has a stick up his ass about me. I know that being one of the Gifted puts me at a greater danger, but I can protect myself. What’s the use of having powers if I can’t protect myself?”

Grant shrugged, “He’s just worried about you, you know.” he answered. “There are plenty of people in the Kingdom that would love to get your hands on you for some reason or another. He just doesn’t want that to happen to you.”

“I just feel like it’s a little too much, you know.” Skye huffed. “I would love to have a little more freedom than I currently have. I didn’t ask for these powers, Grant. I didn’t ask to be born like this.”

“I know that it’s hard, Skye.” Grant stated softly. “But there’s a reason to why you would be born like this.”

Skye’s face quickly turned into a scowl and she turned away from him, “And what would you know about it?” she asked coldly. “You have no idea of what I go through.”

Grant swallowed and nodded, “Yeah, you’re right. I have no idea.” he muttered. “Sorry, I overstepped.”

Skye took a breath, “It’s okay.” she stated. “You’re fine. Just… Just go get your sword, I have to go see my parents anyways.”

“Skye…”

But, Skye left the room without another word to him. Grant hadn’t meant to hurt her, but there was a reason to why he had said what he had said. 

Grant sighed and left the room as well, deciding that it was best to go to Fitz now to get his sword. 

_ “Skye, I didn’t mean to hurt you.”  _ he thought.  _ “But I do understand what you’re going through. You have no idea…. _

_ You really have no idea….” _

Grant grimaced as he left the room, heading down the stone-laden hallway as a burning pain started to grow in his chest. He stopped halfway down the hallway, slipping into a crevice where no one could see him. Another wave of pain shot through his chest, sending him to his knees in a pant. He clutched at his chest, pulling the collar of his tunic down to see the mark on his chest burning a fiery red.

_ “S… Shit…”  _ he thought.  _ “That’s the second time this week. The seal’s coming undone. And if it does that, the Kingdom will know of what I am. But, I have no one to redo it. The royal exorcists would immediately tell the King of the truth. I thought that sealing myself would last, it’s barely been 4 years. I have no idea of what this’ll do to me. Sealed Devilborns are rare themselves.” _

He took a sharp, ragged breath as the burning pain subsided. He looked back down to the mark, seeing that it looked cracked and black tendrils were seeping into the areas of skin around it.  _ “It’s breaking apart. The breaks will allow more and more of my power through before the dam collapses.”  _ he thought, slowly bringing himself to his feet.  _ “And I hate to know what will happen if the dam breaks entirely. I haven’t used my powers in so long, I may not be able to control them.”  _ He took another breath and continued down the hall, buttoning his tunic back up so no one would see the mark.

_ “I’ve managed to pass the mark off as an anti-demon tattoo to Skye. But it’s starting to change and there’s no way that I would be able to keep hiding it from her. But, she hates anything demon-related, just like anyone else with enough sense. There’s no way that I could tell her. She would despise me.  _

_ And then everyone would want my head. Just like another wild animal.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a shorter chapter, but I'm starting to get into the main story here, which is Grant trying to deal with what he is while trying to hide it from everyone else. I'm sure you all know how that'll go. Any guesses of what's to come? Keep the comments and kudos coming!


	3. Stabbing in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grant and Skye come to an apology.

(Later That Day)

Grant turned around as Skye came jogging up to him. He frowned, seeing the worried look on her face.

“Grant, I’m sorry about earlier.” she began, not waiting for him to say anything. “I shouldn’t of have snapped at you like that. Things have just been, well, stressing right now.”

Grant swallowed thickly and nodded slowly, “It’s fine, Skye. You don’t have to apologize to me at all.” he responded, subconsciously smoothing his tunic at the neckline. “I’m the one that overstepped. You were right, I don’t understand what you’re going through at all. I know that what you’ve been through has put a huge weight on you.”

Skye looked down to her booted feet, “It’s fine. Let’s just forget about it, okay?” she asked. “I’d rather not think about it.” She looked back up to him, noticing the gleaming black handle peering over his shoulder, “You got your sword back from Fitz?”

“Oh, yeah.” Grant reached behind his back, pulling the hellsteel sword from its sheath. He held it out in front of him so Skye could see. The sword was several feet long and as black as obsidian. But it gleamed with its newly-shined surface. Skye’s eyes trailed down to the handle where the face of a devil was etched into the steel. 

“You never told me why there was a devil on the handle.”

“Well, it’s hellsteel and made to kill demons.” Grant stated with a slight smirk, sheathing the sword. “What’s more ironic than the demon-killing sword having a demon on it?”

“Uh, I don’t know? Maybe that ridiculous set of armor you don when you go into battle?” she suggested. “Why does your armor  _ have  _ to look like a demon?”

Grant shrugged, “I came up with that four years ago, Skye. Fitz said that he would make whatever the hell I wanted and that’s what I wanted.” he explained. “And I’m pretty sure that I was also drunk at the time, so there’s that. But, it’s scary. People cower when they see it and I like that.”

Skye rolled her eyes, “Only you would say that.”

“And besides, we rarely fight against human armies anymore. The Hydra Kingdom has been silent for the past two years. It’s only demons now.” Grant shook his head and trailed off, trying to forget about his decaying seal. “But, let’s not worry about that now, shall we?” he suggested. “What did your parents want earlier?”

Skye’s shoulders slumped and she let out a huge sigh, “Dear old mom and dad are wanting me to find someone’s hand in marriage.” she answered. “They said that they won’t be around forever and I need to take someone in who can be the prince or whatnot.”

A smirk pulled at the corners of Grant’s lips, “You still haven’t told them about us yet, have you?” he asked.

She shook her head, “Of course not! I have no idea of what they’ll say.” she shot back. “Dad will definitely not be fond of the notion that I’ve been going behind his back to sleep with the man that is supposed to be protecting me at every moment.”

Grant raised an eyebrow, “Shouldn’t it be good that it’s me? Gives me more of a reason to be around you.”

“Oh, but think of the scandals, Grant.” she mocked. “What would the kingdom think if they found out that the ‘princess’ lost her virginity to Hellfire, the mighty Devil Knight and Royal Protector?”

Grant’s eyebrow went even higher, “I’m the first man you’ve slept with?” he asked.  _ “Well, that’s pot calling the kettle black.”  _ he thought.  _ “She’s the first girl I’ve ever really been around like this.” _

“I’m the  _ princess,  _ Grant. And one of the Gifted.” Skye stressed, crossing her arms. “And I’m only 23. I’ve barely been outside the palace ground because of my overprotective father. So, do you really think that I’ve had the chance to meet another man? Not at all.”

“Figures. And I’ve also never understood why some fear the Gifted so much. You aren’t Devilborn. You don’t even have any magic.”

“Some want to use us for gain.” she answered, letting out a sigh. “Others still think us hellspawn because our powers have no tie to magic whatsoever. I know that many think us to be chosen by the gods, but that’s a bunch of bull. It just makes things worse for me, hence why dad is so damn protective of me.”

Grant nodded, “Well, it makes sense, though.” he answered. “He just wants to keep you safe from those who would want to either kill you or exploit you. He just wants what’s best for you.”

“ Yeah, but it’s very overbearing. Do you have any idea of how much I want to go to a tavern or something of the sort?” she asked. “It doesn’t even have to be outside the city grounds. I just want to be able to sit in a tavern for once. Have a beer or something.”

Grant smiled, “I could probably arrange something.” he answered, trying the redirect the subject so Skye wouldn’t get upset again. “Not tonight. But, I could definitely arrange something.”

A smile pulled at Skye’s lips as well, her mood starting to lift just a bit, “Oh, is the Royal Protector of all people wanting to sneak the princess out of the palace for a drink?”

Grant’s smile grew, “Perhaps.”

“Then it’s a date, whenever you can manage it.”

He ducked his head and blushed, “I-I’ll try my best.” he stammered.

Skye rolled her eyes, “You are such a sap. For someone who used to be a mercenary and is now the Royal Protector  _ and  _ a Royal Knight, you sure really melt in my hands.”

Grant’s blush grew even more and he looked away, grumbling under his breath. After a few seconds, he looked back at her, “So, ah, what’s the plans for the rest of the day?” he asked.

Skye frowned and looked out one of the corridor’s small windows, seeing the setting sun, “Considering that it’s getting late, I imagine that dinner is the first bet.” she stated matter-of-factly. “Then a bath and it’s off the bed for the both of us if we can manage it again.”

“Are you implying that the bath is for the both of us as well?”

“As long as you can get that water heating contraption Fitz installed for the palace to work, then yes.” she stated. “You know that it’s been acting up.”

Grant smiled, “I can see what I can do.” he said, approaching her. “You will-”

“Ward!”

Grant froze up, his stomach churning as he spun around just in time to see Triplett running towards him, “Trip?” he asked, seeing the frantic expression on the knight’s face. Sweat was beaded on the young man’s forehead and he was very, very out of breath.“What’s wrong?”

Triplett swallowed, “Demons. A whole trove of them. Right outside the city. A rift opened up out of nowhere and they came pouring out. Several scouts and a few civilians are already dead.” he panted. “Morse has already gone out with a team of knights and exorcists, but we need you out there. There’s no one better at slaying those bastards than you are. And… And scouts also think that a Devilborn is commanding them. Or so that’s what they claim.”

Grant’s stomach did a flip, “A commanding Devilborn?” he questioned. “That’s unheard of, unless it’s extremely powerful.” He swallowed,  _ “Only a Devilborn of my aptitude could do such a thing.”  _ he thought.  _ “Then there’s no telling of what we’re dealing with. I can’t fight this thing myself without revealing what I am.” _

“That’s what they fear.” Triplett stated, tearing Grant out of his thoughts. “There’s also fears that the barrier may not hold against this level of attack and demons may begin pouring into the city if it’s not dealt with soon.”

Grant turned to look at Skye, “Go to the saferoom just in case the demons breach the barrier.” he stated firmly. “We can’t risk anything. Find Fitzsimmons, Mack, and Elena while you’re at it. I don’t know what the King and Queen will do.” He turned back to face Triplett once more, “I need to go to the armory for my armor.” he stated. “Give me ten minutes at the most. Bring out Phobos for me, make sure that that horse is ready to go. Please.”

Triplett nodded, “Alright, but if you’re not there in ten minutes, I’m going ahead. They need all the help that they can get.” he stated. He took a step and paused, turning his head to look back at Grant, “Oh, and please bring a gun this time around. The more firepower, the better off we are.”

A grin formed on Grant’s face as he reached back, gripping the handle of his hellsteel sword, causing Skye to roll her eyes in exasperation. There went his cocky attitude that she both loved and hated.

“I don’t need any damn guns.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, there's now an actual demon attack! And I will say that something will indeed happen during the battle that will ramp things up just a bit. Any guesses on what's going to happen? (And are y'all enjoying this? The reception dropped big time with the last chapter.) Keep the comments and kudos coming!


	4. When the Devil Come

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The scale of Grant's problem becomes clear.

Grant approached his jet-black horse, Phobos, helmet tucked underneath his arm. Triplett raised an eyebrow at the knight as he climbed onto his massive steed.

“I told you to bring a damn gun, Ward.” 

A smile pulled at Grant’s lips and he turned to look at the other knight, “And I told you that I didn’t need any damn guns. They’re too loud. And besides, using a sword allows me to ensure that the demon is  _ dead _ .” He drew a line across his throat, “As long as I chop their heads off, they’re done for.”

“And what are you going to do about the Devilborn?” Triplett asked, putting his helmet on that marked him as a part of the Royal Guard. “Killing one of them isn’t as simple as chopping their head off. And especially one that’s able to commandeer a legion of demons. There’s no telling to where that Devilborn’s powers begin and end.”

Grant took a sharp breath, sliding on his own helmet, “I don’t know, I’ll decide when I see it. And besides,” he shook his head. “The scouts didn’t say to  _ what  _ kind of Devilborn we’re dealing with. How you deal with it depends all on its type. Is it a fire demon? Earth? We don’t know yet.”

Triplett narrowed his eyes and shook his head at the sight of Grant’s armor. He thought it too flashy. Grant had had the armor made to look just like a demon, horns, spikes, and all. But, he did recall the man being  _ very  _ drunk at the time.

“Just make sure that the knights don’t mistake you for one of the demons.”

“Huh?” Grant took Phobos’ reigns. “What do you mean?”

“That ridiculous armor of yours.”

Grant tapped the eagle symbol that was etched upon one of his shoulders, “Then they’re blind if they don’t see this.” he stated. “And don’t I already have a reputation anyways? I’m already known as the Devil Knight.”

“That’s because you gave yourself that name.”

Grant rolled his eyes as Triplett dug his heels into his horse’s side, getting it to gallop. He did the same with Phobos, catching up to the knight, “And it stuck.” he stated matter of factly. “People took a liking to it.”

“Is that what you really tell yourself?” Triplett asked, keeping his eyes ahead. “People only agree with you to make that overly-inflated ego of yours happy.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Oh, you know very well of what I mean.”

Grant grumbled underneath his breath and the two rode in silence, galloping fast towards the barrier of the City. He could hear the faint sounds of fighting in the distance and knew that they needed to end this as soon as possible. If they went straight for the commanding Devilborn, then the demon ranks would disperse and would be  _ much  _ easier to deal with. 

They quickly made their way out of the City, heading past the barrier that kept out the demonic forces. The battle wasn’t that far from the City, so it didn’t take them long to get to the camp that had already been established outside the fighting range. They left their horses in a makeshift stall and headed towards where Morse stood.

Morse frowned as they came up, “It took you two long enough.” she stated coldly, eyeing Grant. “Go ahead and get into the fight. We’re currently holding the demons back, but we haven’t been able to find the commanding Devilborn that the scouts claimed to see. If you see him, don’t fight him alone. Fall back and wait for backup.” She sighed as she saw Grant unsheath his hellsteel sword and start walking towards the fight, “Ward.”

“What.” He didn’t look back towards her. 

“Don’t be rash like you always are.” she stated, casting a glance towards Triplett. “Being rash here is a major mistake. Don’t try to show off.”

“Fine.” He raised a hand in a wave-like gesture. “Don’t be rash and kill whatever demon I see. Isn’t that your order with every battle?”

Morse took a sharp breath and slipped on her own helmet, making sure to tuck in her hair, “That’s because you’re rash with every battle. You don’t think and you always end up doing something stupid.”

“Then I won’t do anything stupid this time around.” Grant began to walk off, his sword perched on his shoulder. “Got it.”

Grant didn’t wait for a response from Morse or Triplett, he just wanted to get into the battle. But, his number one priority was finding the Devilborn before it could make its way into the City. It would be utter catastrophe if it managed to get into the City. There would be no telling to how many would die. 

He paused a few feet away from a few battle-wearied exorcists, seeing the torn-up earth. It seemed as though rocks had been pulled from the ground and thrown about.  _ “No doubt the work of earth demons.”  _ he thought, walking past the exorcists and ignoring the whispers that were directed towards him.  _ “So, perhaps a earth Devilborn? There’s no way I could fight one of those with me being sealed. Even if they’re lower on the hierarchy, they’re still strong. May if I could corner it alone I could injure it with my powers without any of the knights or exorcists seeing me. I can’t risk exposing myself.” _

Grant walked past a fallen demon, jabbing his sword into it to ensure that it was dead. It seemed that the Royal Guard had already pushed them back without much problem, even though there were injured knights here and there. He paused, looking towards the treeline. There was a heavy presence hidden deep within the trees that he could feel. 

_ “It’s the Devilborn.”  _ he thought, immediately heading that way.  _ “He’s hiding, making his little army do all the work. What’s the use of power like that if you’re just going to hide? I know that it’s risky, but I need to be able to confirm where he is. I can’t just tell Morse that I felt him. Only those with strong magic powers can sense Devilborns. Or other Devilborns. I’ll just expose myself.” _

He headed into the treeline, away from the battle. After a little bit, he came to a clearing and paused. He turned and frowed, looking at the tree that was behind him. 

“I know that you’re there.” he announced. “Come out. I just want to talk.”

His frown grew as something suddenly shot from the tree and landed behind him. He turned with a sigh to see a young man, no older than eighteen. The only thing that marked him as nonhuman was his vividly glowing green eyes and the snarl on his face. 

_ “He isn’t transformed.”  _ Grant thought.  _ “That’s strange. Maybe he’s scared. But, it’s obvious that he isn’t tamed. One wrong move and he’ll attack.” _

“What’s with the armor?” the Devilborn asked. “You trying to impersonate a demon for the hell of it?”

Grant took a step forward, his sword still perched on his shoulder, “I was drunk when I had it made, looks cool though.” he answered. “But, what’s the reasoning for all of this? Hiding in the trees while getting other earth demons to attack the Royal Guard? You have great power if you can command other demons, why hide?”

“Why attack when I can do this?”

Grant’s eyes flared from behind the cover of his helmet and he spun around to see two golem-looking demons flying towards him. With a single motion, he swung his sword and cut through the both of them, their blood flying through the air as they fell to the ground dead. He turned back around to see that the Devilborn seemed surprised, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What… What are you?”

“I don’t think I want to answer that.”

The Devilborn smiled and took a small step towards him, “Ah, I get it now.” he stated. “You’re just like me. It took me a little bit to realize what that feeling was, but there’s a hell of a lot of power coming from you. Even if you do seemed to be sealed. Why would a Devilborn like yourself work for the Kingdom?” he asked. “Why fight against your own kind?”

Grant snarled and pointed the tip of his sword towards the boy, “Because I am nothing like you.” he spat. “I am not a bloodthirsty monster who only thinks of killing. I have a heart. I have a soul. I put myself under great pain to seal that monster away so I could be normal.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous!” the Devilborn laughed. He shot out his hand and the earth suddenly moved violently underneath Grant’s feet, sending him to the ground. The earth came up and all but swallowed Grant’s arms and legs, trapping him against the ground and sending his sword skidding away from him. “But, you’re getting angry and that’s making you weak. I can smell it.” The boy’s nails quickly sharpened into claws and he jumped on top of Grant. “I’ll have fun dealing with you.”

_ “How… How didn’t I sense that attack?”  _ Grant thought as the demon tore his helmet off and he stared straight up into those emerald eyes.  _ “What the hell is wrong with me? I sensed those golems before they attacked, but not the kid’s attack. Something… Something’s wrong with me.” _

With one fell swoop, the boy clawed off Grant’s chest plate, tossing it aside. “You know,” he began, starting to tear at Grant’s shirt as Grant struggled against the earth restraints. “I’ve never tasted my own kind before. Wonder what you taste like?”

“Probably like shit.” Grant grimaced as the mark on his chest burned. “Because I have to be shit if I lose to a little kid like you.”

The Devilborn’s eyes flared, “I am not a kid.” he hissed, digging his claws into Grant’s chest. “I am so much more. You said it yourself. I am almost a  _ god.  _ I command these little demon bastards like it’s nothing. They cower in fear of me.”

Grant’s eyes shrunk in fear and he tried not to scream as the devil tore his claws into his chest. How had he been so careless? He knew that he shouldn’t of have confronted the Devilborn alone. And now he was going to die by the hands of his own kind. Morse was right. He was rash. Beyond rash.

“And seems like you can’t even put a proper seal on yourself.” the demon clawed at the tattooed seal on Grant’s chest. “It’s falling apart.”

“Get off of me.” Grant hissed, his voice morphing into a growl. He couldn’t find his powers. Hell, he couldn’t even find his courage.  _ “Skye, I’m sorry. This is all my fault. I didn’t even get to say a proper goodbye to you. I wanted to work up the courage to ask your father about properly dating you. And I didn’t get the chance. I… I failed you.” _

The burning in his chest started to grow even more as the Devilborn continued to tear into his skin, even starting to use his needle-like teeth to do so now. Grant clenched his eyes shut and he still tried not to scream as darkness started to overcome him.

This was his fault. He didn’t listen to Morse. He had gotten himself killed all because he wanted to deal with the Devilborn all on his own. 

And Grant fell into that darkness as an old fire came roaring out of him, completely overtaking him.

Reviving that long lost bloodlust he hadn't felt in so long.

* * *

 

(Elsewhere)

Triplett shot a earth demon pointblank with his gun, smirking as it fell to the ground. He turned to Morse, “Hey, where the hell did Ward go?”

“Do I really want to even know?” she asked, sheathing her sword. “Probably did the very thing I asked him not to do. He probably went after that damn thing himself. I’m not going to feel sorry for him if he gets himself hurt or even killed.”

“So, what…” Triplett trailed off as he saw two nearby demons freeze up as look up towards the sky like they were in some kind of trance before collapsing to the ground. He frowned, “What the hell?” he asked, looking back towards Morse for a possible explanation.

She shrugged, placing her hand on the hilt of her sword, “I don’t know. Could be the Devilborn’s doing.” she stated in response. “We still don’t know where it’s at or what it’s capable of. We need to…” She trailed off as it suddenly fell dark. She looked up to see something in the sky between them and the sun. Her stomach went cold as it went into knots as she realized what she was looking at. 

A demon. And a big one at that.

Triplett’s mouth fell open, “What… What the hell?”

The demon just stayed there in the air, its massive wings keeping it aloft. The thing had to be at least 8 or 9 feet in height and heavy with muscle. Its skin seemed to be covered in obsidian scales, cracked apart with fiery fissures. Long horns arched back over its head and spikes stuck out all over its body. Flames danced off of it as a long tail sliced through the air. 

“What. The. Hell. Is. That.” Morse breathed, taking a step back. “I’ve never seen a demon like that. Never.”

Triplett swallowed, “Clearly a fire demon, but judging by the looks of it… It’s a powerful one. Probably high in in the hierarchy.” he practically whispered back. “What’s a demon like that doing here?”

“I don’t know. But if a demon of that stature gets into the City, it’s done for. We….”

Morse trailed off as the demon suddenly flew off, away from the City’s barrier. She let out the breath that she had been holding, seeing the knights and the exorcists starting to converge back towards the camp, all looking for an answer for the monster that they had seen.

“We have a  _ huge  _ problem on our hands.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait on this, but I should be back in the groove now. So, things are starting to go downhill and will only get worse. Any guesses of what's to happen? (And if you need a reference for what the demon at the end pretty much looks like, look up Dante's Sin Devil Trigger from Devil May Cry 5.) Keep the comments and kudos coming!


	5. The Devil's in the Next Room

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath of the battle.

(Sometime Later)

Grant awoke with a start, the image of the earth Devilborn flashing across his eyes. He went to get up, but an urgent voice stopped him. 

“No! You don’t need to be getting up just yet! You’ve been unconscious since yesterday and have several broken bones and major lacerations.”

He laid back down and turned his aching head to see Simmons runnings towards him, her alchemist’s robe flowing behind her. “Simmons?” he asked, looking around. Wait, this wasn’t the battlefield. This was the dimly lit part of the dungeon area that served as the castle’s infirmary. He also noticed several other injured knights around him as well.

Simmons stopped right by his bed and rolled her eyes at him, “Of course it’s me, who else would it be in a time like this?” she questioned. “The healers are stretched thin because of that battle, so I’m here to lend a hand.” She reached and helped to prop the back of the bed up so Grant could sit up. 

Grant shook his head, “No, I mean what am I doing here?” he asked. “How did I get here?”

“What’s the last thing that you remember?”

“That earth Devilborn looming over me, ready to tear me to shreds.”

“Well, you must’ve passed out. Triplett and Morse found you bloodied and naked near the battlefield. You have 2 broken ribs. Your left arm is shattered and you have  _ major  _ lacerations. Looks like that Devilborn tore into you.”

Grant looked down to see his chest tightly bound with blood-speckled bandages and his left arm splinted and tied to his chest so he couldn’t move it.  _ “After I was rendered useless by him.”  _ he thought.  _ “I couldn’t sense what he was trying to do. I was a fool and tackled him head on when I knew very well that I couldn’t take him on sealed.” _

“But,” Simmons continued, breaking into his thoughts. “You should be fine.”

“Can’t the healers heal all of this?”

“By gods, no!” Simmons shook her head and pointed at him. “To heal wounds, healers use someone’s own energy. They basically speed up one’s regenerative abilities. But if the injuries are too great or the person is too weak, it’s a no go. They would kill you before they could even heal a single rib on you. 

They can help a little bit here and there, but you will still have to rest and heal for a couple of weeks.” she continued. “Meaning, the Royal Protector is on medical leave until further notice.”

Grant went to protest, but a stern look from Simmons stopped him before he could even open his mouth. “Fine.” he huffed. “How is everyone else? How many made it?”

Simmons crossed her arms, “So far, the estimates are 25 dead and 32 wounded.” she answered lightly. “That Devilborn’s forces were something else.”

Grant clenched his fist,  _ “This is my fault. I should’ve stayed with everyone else.”  _ he thought.  _ “Morse was right. I’m too reckless. I always end up doing something stupid.” _

“Grant,” Simmons began, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder. “I know what you’re doing. This isn’t your fault. This is all that Devilborn’s fault. You had nothing to do with the outcome.”

“Yeah, but…” Grant trailed off and shook his head. “Where is he now? Where is that bastard now?” His voice morphed into a growl-like tone.

“Dead. One of the scouts found him torn apart after the battle ceased.”

“Huh?”

“Something… Something else appeared during the battle.” Simmons began to explain. “It didn’t hurt anyone other than that Devilborn, we believe. But, no one’s ever seen a demon like that before. Exorcists believe that it was a high-ranking fire demon.” She shook her head, “I didn’t see it myself, but Triplett claims that it was a  _ beast _ . It’s a gods-given miracle that it didn’t kill anyone else.”

Pain lanced through Grant’s seal and dread started to fill the pit that was his stomach.  _ “Fire… Demon?”  _ he thought, growing scared.  _ “Something they’ve never seen before… Came during the battle…. Devilborn ended up slaughtered…. I can’t remember anything after he attacked…”  _ His stomach flipped,  _ “I didn’t… Did I…” _

“Grant, are you okay?”

Grant snapped his attention back to Simmons, who was looking at him with worry, “I’m just… I don’t feel well.” he lied. “Sore.”

She nodded, “This was probably pushing it. I’ll give you something to numb the pain and help you sleep.” she explained. “You’ll stay in here another night. Then it’ll be back to your quarters.” She turned around and walked off, leaving Grant to himself.

Grant’s eyes flew to the bandaging around his chest. He managed to maneuver his broken arm enough so he could get to the left side of his chest. Groaning in pain, he moved the bandages just enough to see his seal, or what was left of it for that matter. 

_ “Shit. It’s… It’s broken. Almost gone.”  _ He could see 4 wicked-looking gashes across it, tearing the skin up. The ink of the seal where the skin wasn’t torn was barely there.  _ “If that  _ thing  _ came out, the seal’s almost gone, considering I still look human and my healing rate is still human. Meaning the next time I snap… That’s the last time. I can’t be sealed again. And everyone will know of what I am.”  _

He moved the bandages back and laid his head back on the not-so-comfortable pillow.  _ “I’m fucked. If it comes out again, I’m dead. And… I’m not the best at keeping my anger down. If something happens to me, it’ll come out. And the King will have me executed even though I’m the Royal Protector. I-” _

“Grant?”

Grant was pulled out of his thoughts to see Skye coming up to him flanked by a knight that he didn’t recognize. Triplett and Morse must’ve been busy with the King and Queen following the battle. He managed a weak smile as she walked up to him, “Hey.”

“You look like shit.”

He tried to laugh despite the situation, “I’ve been worse.” he stated. “I’ll be fine. Simmons said that I’ll be out of here tomorrow. I just need a couple week’s worth of rest is all.”

Skye raised an eyebrow, “So, you’re off duty until further notice?” she asked. 

“Probably in every way possible, Skye.”

She looked around before looking back at him, “I’m glad that you’re alive, but we lost a lot.” she said. “A lot died because of that asshole. We need to find a better way to deal with these monsters.”

Grant’s shoulders slumped,  _ “And you don’t even realize that one’s right in front of you. The very man you sleep with every night.” _

“And I’ve supposed you’ve heard about the big demon that showed up in the middle of the battle and did nothing?” she asked. “Apparently it was spouting fire and looked like it crawled out of hell itself. And it ripped that Devilborn apart.”

_ “Yeah, because that was probably me. You don’t realize who I really am, Skye. You would detest me if you knew.” _

“Yeah, Simmons told me.” he stated. “Then they found me ass-naked and bloody nearby once the battle was over. My armor and sword gone.”

“Actually, Fitz and Mack have those. The scouts managed to recover them and they’re trying to repair everything right now.”

Well, at least that was a little bit of good news for Grant.

Skye sighed and looked around again before leaning down to kiss him on his lips. She stood back up, “Anyways, I just wanted to check on you. Dad wanted me back soon and I can’t risk him finding us right now. Especially with everything that’s going on.”

“That’s a shitstorm for another day, right?” Grant raised an eyebrow, seeing Simmons out the corner of his eyes. 

“You bet.”

“Ah, Princess!” Simmons exclaimed, coming up with a vial of something Grant didn’t even want to begin to guess what it was.

Skye scowled, “Jemma, we’re friends. How many times do I have to tell you to not call me princess?”

“Well, considering there are other castle staff around and knights, it’s best to keep the formality up, correct?”

“What are you, my father?”

Simmons shrugged and handed the vial to Grant, “I’m just saying.” She turned to face him, “Now, that’ll both numb the pain and put you to sleep for the next several hours.”

Skye eyed the green liquid, “You sure that’s not going to turn him green and suddenly make him act like a chicken?” she asked. 

“That was only one time!” Simmons exclaimed, offended that Skye doubted her expertise. “And that’s because I was unaware that Fitz had accidently knocked something into the mixture. This is completely medicinal.”

“Are you sure?” Grant asked, still holding the vial.  _ “Well, at least this’ll kill me and not an execution by exorcists.” _

Simmons’s scowl grew, “Just take it for gods’ sakes!”

Grant rolled his eyes and knocked the vial back, fighting against the awful flavor. He handed the empty vial to Simmons, “There? You happy? Now, just let me fucking sleep.” He laid his head back and closed his eyes. 

“See? Wasn’t all that difficult, was it?” Simmons sniffed and turned around, leaving the two.

Skye sighed and helped Grant to lay the head of the bed back down, “It better make your ass sleep.” She kissed his forehead, “I’ll check on you later.”

“M’kay.” Grant slurred, the elixir already pulling him down into the darkness of sleep. He didn’t even see her leave as darkness started to cover his vision and numbness heavied his limbs. 

_ “If… If it comes out again and she finds out, she’ll feel… Betrayed… All of them will…. I’m the very thing that they hate. _

_ The devil they all… Fear…” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm back with this! I hope to keep this up, despite it not doing as well as I hoped it would. And I'm gonna to try and introduce more characters soon! So, any guesses of what's to happen next? I want to hear your guesses! Keep the comments and kudos coming!


	6. The Devil Resides in Human Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The aftermath continues.

(The Next Day)

“How many casualties?”

Grant looked up as the King spoke, “Morse has reported that 35 of the Royal Guard were killed and about 56 were injured. With about 14 of them in a critical state.” he reported, shifting his bounded arm. “We lost a lot, sir.”

Phil sniffed and turned, “These Devilborn attacks are getting worse and worse.” he stated. “Something’s wrong. I’m afraid that they’ll find a way into the city. The barrier is supposed to keep  _ all  _ demons out, including the Devilborn. The only demon that could get through the barrier is one of high standing. But, I’m afraid that these weaker ones will find their way through sooner or later. A bunch of weaker ones is a hell of a lot worse than one big one.”

A shiver went through Grant’s body,  _ “He doesn’t realize that one is standing right in front of him.”  _ he thought.  _ “One’s already made it right through your walls and it’s only a matter of time before the bomb goes off.”  _ He swallowed, gingerly touching the broken remains of his seal with his free hand,  _ “It’ll only take just one more time to make things completely fall apart. I don’t want to know what’ll happen next.” _

“Something’s brewing, Grant.” Phil stated, turning back to face Grant. “I want you by Skye’s side at all times. I know that she’s strong, but she’s not trained to fight demons. The fact that the demon attacks keep getting closer and closer to the City is scaring me. Something big will happen sooner or later. The Devilborns are getting desperate. They’re willing to try anything to survive. More and more are starting to command small legions of weaker demons. Their target is clearly the City.”

Grant looked to his feet, “So, you think that a Devilborn is going to attack the City sooner or later?”

Phil shrugged, “It’s possible.” he answered. He took a deep breath, “It’s always a Devilborn doing these major attacks as of late. Just like that Earth one from yesterday. Then whatever the hell that fire demon was.”

Grant’s stomach flipped, “What about it?”

“None of our top exorcists have ever seen something like it.” Phil continued. “An absolute monster who poured demonic energy. They suspect that it’s akin to the demon kings themselves, but they also since that there’s something human within it as well.” He shook his head, “Perhaps it’s a child of one of the kings, most likely Iblis. Which is a problem. A very huge problem. If we have the half-devil son of the King of Fire… We need to deal with that. Soon.”

_ “Iblis…. It makes sense.”  _ Grant thought, feeling sick to his stomach.  _ “Why didn’t I think about that before? But, how would a king come in contact with my mother like that? Does… Does that make me a demon prince.”  _ He shook his head, not wanting to think about that. There was too much to deal with right now. It wasn’t the time to worry about who his father really was.

Phil sighed, “We just have to deal with things one step at a time. The first thing is to ensure that the Royal Guard recovers from yesterday’s attack.” He paused and looked straight into Grant’s eyes, “Grant, go rest.” he stated firmly. “You still need to heal from your injuries. Even if the healers managed to stabilize you enough so you could walk around, you don’t need to push it. Go lay down. Mel and I need to deal with a few things with Morse and Trip. Skye should be around here somewhere. Go rest in your quarters.”

“Sir,”

“There will be no buts from you, Ward. Now.”

Grant frowned and briskly turned around, knowing that there was no arguing with the King at all. Once he had set his mind on something, there was no changing it. Especially when it came to the welfare of his men. 

“Oh, and, Grant?”

“Sir?” Grant turned back around to face the King. 

“Keep Skye safe at all costs. I don’t mind losing my life, but I don’t want her to die.” Phil stated. “That’s the very thing that I hired you for.”

Grant nodded, “Yes, sir.” he answered back. “I’ll ensure that nothing happens to her. Should she stay confined to to castle?”

Phil shook his head, “No, not yet.” he stated. “She can still go out and about as she wishes, as long as you’re with her. But, at the first sign of trouble, she comes back here and stays here. If the Devilborn and the demons do breach the City’s defenses, she will have to stay in the saferoom until the threat is dealt with. Someone still has to be here to take the crown in case me or Mel die.”

A frown flashed across Grant’s face as he clenched his free hand into a fist, “Sir, don’t talk like that. You’re not going to-”

“Face the facts, Grant. These attacks are getting closer and closer to the City. Sooner or later they  _ will  _ penetrate our defenses and they  _ will  _ attack the castle. There’s no doubts about it. At all. We just have to be prepared for the inevitable.”

Grant took a deep breath and nodded, “I suppose that you’re right.” he said quietly. “I guess that it is inevitable. The only thing that we can do is fight.”

And without another word, Grant left the King alone in his study, hoping to return to Skye. He just didn’t feel like dealing with this aftermath right now. It was already getting late and the pain was starting to set into his arm. He knew that he would have to go by Simmons to find something for the pain before he called it a night. 

He just wanted to see Skye first, that was the only thing that mattered to him right now. Before he lost any of the last bit of sanity that he was clinging to. 

He made his way from the King’s study up to the quarters, knowing that Skye was most likely in his right now. She felt safer in his right now because hers was too far away from everyone else. Walking into his quarters, he found her sitting idly on the edge of his bed, standing up as she saw him come in. 

“What did my father want?” she asked as Grant came up to her. 

Grant shook his head, “Just wanted to know the casualty report.” he answered. “He’s afraid. These attacks keep getting closer and closer to the City.”

Skye frowned, “Then there’s the matter of that massive demon that showed up the other day.”

“Yeah, your father mentioned it.”

“Apparently, the exorcists think it’s a direct kin of Iblis because of how massive it was. And for it to tear apart a Devilborn like that.” Skye continued. “Do you think it wants to attack the City? But, why would it rip apart something that’s half-demon?”

Grant shook his head numbly, a faint pain lancing across the remnants of his seal, “No clue. Maybe it showed up as a warning of sorts. There’s no telling. But, the fact that the only thing that it attacked was a Devilborn and not any of the knights is a good sign.”

Skye raised an eyebrow, “You trying to tell me that it was a  _ good  _ demon?” she asked with a snort. “I’d believe it when I see it.”

Grant just shrugged, trying to play it off as a joke, “Well, you never know. Out of all the demons, there has to be at least one that’s good, right?”

Skye rolled her eyes and turned around, “Yeah, right.”

 Taking a sharp breath, Grant looked towards the ground,  _ “I just want to believe that there’s at least one good one.”  _ he thought.  _ “Because I’m terrified that I’ll just end up being like all of the rest. Just another monster.” _

“Grant?”

He looked back up, “Huh?”

Skye frowned, sitting back on the edge of Grant’s bed, “Are you okay?”

Grant forced a smile out and walked towards her.

“Never better.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I'm sorry for leaving this for 3 months, but work and other things got in the way, but I'll try my best to keep this and my other fics updated now. And I'm starting to add some Blue Exorcist mythology in here, so that's where the demon kings are coming from. Keep the comments and kudos coming!

**Author's Note:**

> Just another idea that I had that I wanted to write down before I lost it! Enjoy!


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